Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communication environments. A typical network environment contains a myriad of network nodes, including hosts, load balancers, routers, switches, etc. These network nodes support propagation of data packets from sources to destination hosts. Improving operational efficiency and optimizing utilization of resources in such network environments are some of the challenges facing their managers. One such challenge arises from a fact that, often times, in a typical network environment, e.g. in a service provider network, various network nodes have varying characteristics in terms of bandwidth, latency, fault tolerance, legal requirements, etc. Because of this, it may be desirable to have control over which network paths are traversed by data packets sent by sources, a process known as a “path selection.” Path selection allows selecting a sequence of specific network nodes within a network environment for forwarding traffic from a given source to one or more destination hosts in an attempt to optimize performance and resilience requirements. Efficient distribution of network path information to all network nodes involved is desired by network operators, service providers, and end users alike.